AMES, Ia. — Iowa State went through an interesting process to find and successfully recruit Jacob Park. Matt Campbell and his staff surrounded him with all kinds of talent — enough that, given two full seasons, maybe he could have ranked right up there with Seneca Wallace and Sage Rosenfels, quarterbacks generally considered the greatest in school history.

It’s sad that this drama ended like it did — with Park telling the Register’s Tommy Birch on Monday night that the same fans who embraced him and sympathized with him back in October suddenly had turned on him.

It’s too bad it couldn't work with a coaching staff that gave Park a starring role after things didn’t work out at two other colleges and a full-ride.

Asking to be released from that scholarship, like Park did on Monday, is common in this day of instant gratification. Check out the basketball transfer list next April. You’ll see hundreds.

But going out the door by being openly critical of fans? I’ll get to that in a moment.

Admitting that he smoked pot while saying he’d failed a drug test? It’s not the first time someone has been busted for pot. And it’s not like Iowa State had a news release prepared to disclose it. It’s good that Park recognizes the mistake.

Yes, it’s sad that Park’s golden opportunity for greatness went unrealized — and who’d have figured that he’d be the first Iowa State athlete in history to throw the school’s very loyal fan base under the stadium?

Whatever transpired, it was sad, and I hope Jacob’s fourth school in a five-year period will be a place where he can thrive, find happiness and lifelong friends, and where he can do wonderful things with his lethal passing arm.

Iowa State quarterback Jacob Park has to hurry to get the ball away as Texas linebacker Malik Jefferson rushes him on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames. Bryon Houlgrave/The Register

Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Jacob Park (10) jumps into the end zone to score a touchdown while being hit by Akron Zips linebacker Josh Ward (52) in the fourth quarter at InfoCision Stadium in Akron, Ohio. David Dermer/USA TODAY Sports

Iowa State redshirt junior quarterback Jacob Park (10) is sacked by Iowa sophomore defensive end Anthony Nelson (98) during the first half of their football game at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017, in Ames. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State junior quarterback Jacob Park poses for a portrait during the Iowa State football team media day at Bergstrom Indoor Practice Facility on the Iowa State campus in Ames on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017. Bryon Houlgrave/The Register

Iowa State redshirt junior quarterback Jacob Park (10), left, reacts after Iowa State redshirt junior quarterback Kyle Starcevich (16) proposed to his girlfriend of five years, Tori Monroe, after the ISU spring game on Saturday, April 8, 2017, in Ames. Brian Powers/The Register

"They're not bringing me back," Park told the Register. "I think that's pretty clear. When I heard that (Kempt may return), (that) is when I realized I needed to find somewhere else to go."

The reality is, Iowa State and Park were heading for a divorce from the time he took leave, and backups Kempt and Zeb Noland showed they could operate Campbell’s offense at a high level.

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Kyle Kempt, a senior on the Iowa State football team, has taken over ably since Jacob Park began his leave of absence from the team on Oct. 6.(Photo: Kelsey Kremer/The Register)

Park told the Register that he did not feel like he was a part of the team anymore, and that his contact with the program had been non-existent since October. It’s a point that Iowa State strongly disputes, saying they had sources in place to help Park during his leave.

Campbell and Iowa State did good by Park with their show of public support over the months. I’m not sure what more Iowa State could've done for Park, beyond standing beside him, which they did during his time away, and letting him know what support was out there for whatever his problems were.

But that’s not even the point. There are only so many hours in the day, and there’s only so much time a Division I football coach can spend on one player. Campbell has a roster of about 100 others to coach and develop. When he’s not doing that, he’s out recruiting the next batch of Cyclones.

He’s a coach — the consensus Big 12 Coach of the Year. He’s paid millions to win football games, fill seats and represent the school in a positive manner.

He’s doing all those things as far as I can tell.

If Park didn’t have enough confidence in becoming the Jacob Park that he was before this season’s Texas meltdown, then a transfer from Iowa State is best for both sides.

But throwing the Cyclone fans under the bus?

That’s a first.

In more than 45 years at the Register, I’ve never heard a player criticize an Iowa State fan. Never.

Ever.

But here's what Park had to say to the Register on Monday night:

“Everybody says these fans are so loyal, right? Like, they were the first ones to turn on me.

"I got to witness this from a whole other perspective that most of you never get to witness.”

Jacob Park arrived in Iowa State with a golden opportunity to lead the Cyclones for several years. It ended with his decision to transfer on Monday.(Photo: David Dermer/USA TODAY Sports)

But I’ll say this: You’d be hard-pressed to find a more loyal fan base. Comments I saw publicly from fans about Park before Monday were overwhelmingly positive.

Park’s now-former teammates, including Joel Lanning and J.D. Waggoner, two of the most respected players on Iowa State’s roster, did have interesting tweets Monday night, rallying around the fans, and not the guy who'd opened the season as a team captain.

"You can't disrespect the fans that are loyal to everyone no matter what the circumstances are!" Lanning tweeted.

"We have the best fans in the country who always make Saturday’s special! You’ve NEVER abandoned us for a second. This senior year has been special because of your support #thankyou,” Waggoner tweeted.

I’m sure a few people out there posted silly things on social media about Park in October. Breaking news!People hide inside Twitter’s anonymity all the time to make brave comments they’d never say face-to-face.

But team leaders need to have thicker skin than that. They must consider it part of the process. They have to realize that not many outside the team’s inner sanctum know what goes on in their real lives.

Park has a baby. He attends class. He practiced football. He played games in front of thousands of adoring fans, and if you think college athletes lead normal lives — you’re wrong.

I made this point in October after we reported on Park taking his leave, and I’ll make it again: There’s a lot going on in Park’s life that we can’t even imagine.

Try leading a very public life at the age of 22. I’m guessing it isn’t easy. But scrutiny —fair and unfair — comes with the territory when you are a major college quarterback.

Iowa State football has survived and will survive without him. Park is very talented, but so were the people behind him, we've learned.

Noland will likely be the starting quarterback in 2018. Campbell and his staff will recruit the best graduate-transfer quarterback that’s available. Who knows? Maybe Kempt's Hail Mary is answered and he returns for more.

Park’s former team is going to its first bowl game since 2012. Iowa State coaches discovered that the offense ran pretty well without his mercurial play — while Kempt led to victories over two top-five opponents.

It's disappointing. But sometimes, things like this aren’t meant work out.

Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson has been with the Register for parts of five decades. Randy writes opinion and analysis of Iowa State football and basketball. You can reach Randy at rpeterson@dmreg.com or on Twitter at @RandyPete.